HISTORY

After the formation of All India Bank Employees Association, bank employees all over the country started forming trade unions. Similarly, Tamilnadu Bank Employees’ Federation was formed in Chennai on 9th June 1953. In this background, employees in Union Bank of India working in the State of Tamilnadu took the efforts to form trade unions. First a Union with headquarters at Chennai was formed. Later another two Unions with Madurai and Coimbatore as headquarters were formed. These unions were all cadre unions and served the employees/officers working in those areas. It is worth mentioning that the legendary leaders of Bank Employees, Com.N.Sampath and Com.K.J.Joseph were the Presidents of our Chennai and Coimbatore Unions respectively.

Understanding the strength of Unity, our forefathers took tireless efforts to consolidate these three Unions into a single entity and with the able guidance of Com.K.J.Jospeh, one of the tallest leaders of All India Bank Employees Association, consolidation was possible. The consolidated organisation held its inaugural conference at “Ayyanna Gowder Kalyana Mandapam”, Coimbatore on 22nd April 1973. Thus, Union Bank Employees’ Union – Tamilnadu came into existence. Today, we can proudly call this as the first integration.

From its inception, Union Bank Employees’ Union – Tamilnadu is functioning under the mighty banner of AIBEA, as an affiliate of Tamilnadu Bank Employees’ Federation. Initially, Union Bank Employees’ Union – Tamilnadu was functioning as an affiliate to All India Union Bank Employees Federation – the only federation existed at that point of time in Union Bank of India. AIUBEF has a unique constitution. As per its constitution, any union of Union Bank of India functioning in any State can be an affiliate of AIUBEF, irrespective of their industry level affiliation. During that period, Tamilnadu Unit affiliated to AIBEA, Kerala Unit affiliated to NCBE were members of AIUBEF. 

Com.Shanthi Bharathan, General Secretary of AIUBEF, was the first Workmen Director nominated to the Board of Union Bank of India by AIBEA. He continued for 12 long years against the directions of AIBEA and that was one of the causes for friction between AIBEA and AIUBEF.

From the date of consolidation, Union Bank Employees’ Union – Tamilnadu started working for the welfare of its members and for improving their standard of living. During the year 1979-80, there was an attempt to form an organisation against AIBEA, in various bank-wise organisations. Banks having headquarters at Kolkatta or Bank-wise Unions having headquarters at Kolkatta were the most affected. 

Our Union was also a victim of such divisive forces. All India Union Bank Employees Federation was a mixture of unions affiliated to various Industry Level Unions in Union Bank of India. Unions affiliated to AIBEA, NCBE, INTUC were part of the Federation. Due to the disruptive activities of the anti-AIBEA elements, situation necessitated the formation of another Apex Organisation exclusively for AIBEA Unions in Union Bank of India. Accordingly All India Union Bank Employees Association was formed in Mumbai on 22nd June 1979, with few affiliates of AIUBEF, as its members. Under these circumstances, one of our comrades attended the formation conference of AIUBEA as an observer.

At this stage, our Vellore Conference took place on 30 Sep & 01 Oct 1979. In the conference the stage was occupied by anti-AIBEA forces like Com.P.Ramamurthy, Com.Shanthi Bardhan etc., unfortunately, no representative from TNBEF were invited to the conference. The conference became a Launchpad for formation of an anti-AIBEA organisation in Union Bank of India.

In this background, AIBEA was forced to direct the Units of AIUBEF to clarify their positions. During this period, in the year 1980, in the Tamilnadu Bank Employees Federation conference held at Salem our comrades could not attend the conference as Delegates. The affiliation was temporarily suspended and we were asked to decide the about our affiliation. The position was such that either we can be an affiliate of AIBEA or AIUBEF and not both.

In order to decide our affiliation, an Extraordinary General Body Meeting was held at Santhome, Chennai on 16.03.1980. In this historic conference, despite the propaganda made by the disruptive forces, majority of the comrades expressed their faith and confidence in AIBEA. Accordingly, it was decided to continue our affiliation with AIBEA/TNBEF and to affiliate with AIUBEA. Out of 110 delegates participated in the Conference, 66 voted in favour of AIBEA and 44 voted against.

As per the fundamental principles of democracy, the majority decision should be binding on all and the minority should adhere to the majority decision to preserve the Unity. Unfortunately, against all principles of democracy, breaking the unity of Union Bank Employees, a minority section of members left the Extraordinary General Body Meeting and formed a rival union in the name of “Union Bank of India Employees’ Union – Tamilnadu” on 17.03.1980, affiliated to AIUBEF.

From the year 1973, so far, inclusive of the Integration Conference, 24 Biennial Conference were held. Out of this 24 conferences, in 22 conference the office bearers were elected based on consensus. It is a tradition to decide our future by our own comrades through mutual discussions, without the interference of any outside influence. Even in the conferences, where democratic process was inevitable, the comrades had the maturity to accept the verdict and continue to work united, preserving the unity of the organisation.

On 1st April, 2020, as per the decision of the Government of India, Andhra Bank and Corporation Bank were amalgamated with Union Bank of India. As a corollary, there was a need to integrate the Unions in all the three banks. With the guidance of AIBEA, apex level Negotiating Committee was formed to harmonize the internal policies, fringe benefits etc., Accordingly, fringe benefits were harmonized to the satisfaction of the entire workforce with everyone getting the best of the three. Higher Assignment Policy and Transfer Policy were harmonised to suit the present needs of the Bank. The Promotion Policy was retained without any modification. One of the major issue of converting all the 2200 Part Time Sweepers as Full Time Housekeeper-cum-Peon has happened. Restoration of Industrial Relations Machinery meetings and finding a solution to the regularization of temporary employees of the three entities are eluding a solution.

Much prior to the process of integration of Unions at the apex level, the unification journey started in Tamilnadu. In the Salem Conference, the comrades of Andhra Bank Employees’ Union Madras and Corporation Bank Employees Union participated as observers. After the amalgamation of the banks, several joint meetings at various levels were held. The Joint Office Bearers Meeting held in Chennai was the first of its kind in the country. Tamilnadu was the first Unit to sign the Memorandum of Understanding for amalgamation in the entire country, that too in the presence of the General Secretary, AIBEA.

The historic integration of Andhra Bank Employees’ Union Madras and Corporation Bank Employees Union with Union Bank Employees’ Union – Tamilnadu took place on 14th August, 2021 in the presence of Com.C.H.Venkatachalam, General Secretary, AIBEA, greeted by Com.N.Shankar, General Secretary, AIUBEA, Com.T.Ravindranath, General Secretary, AIABAEU, Com.Vincent D’souza, General Secretary, CBEU and Sri.Jithender Maniram, Dy. Zonal Head, FGMO, Chennai. Today, we can claim this as the second historic integration in the history of Union Bank Employees’ Union – Tamilnadu.

From 1980, due to the continued efforts of the leaders and countless committed cadres, our membership gradually increased and at the time of the merger of banks our membership stood at more than 92% of the employees working in the State of Tamilnadu as proud members of our Union. On this second integration, our membership has gone beyond 98% of the entire workforce in the State. The day is not too far to the reach the single union status.

Our comrades are effectively functioning as Office Bearers of AIUBEA, TNBEF and various District Organisations of Tamilnadu Bank Employees Federation and contributing to the cause of the Bank employees. Our comrades have significantly contributed in designing various policies of the Bank like, Transfer Policy, Higher Assignment Policy, Promotion Policy etc., It is worth mentioning that our unit was given the position of the Central Committee member of AIBEA by TNBEF.

Our organisation is an example of democracy and collective functioning.  Our organisation is functioning as a model to the rest of the Unions. Conferences, Executive Committee, Managing Committee meetings are held on regular intervals and the decisions are taken after elaborate discussions taking the views of all the comrades of the forum. Our constitution provides for reservation in the Executive Committee to Women, Subordinate Staff, Mini Deposit Collectors, Jewel Appraisers etc., which enables to hear the voices of all sections of the membership in the forums. We also have a women’s forum to involve them in the Union activities.  Union is conducting various workshops to equip the comrades to sharpen their skills, improve their attitude and to widen their knowledge. This process has helped us in identifying the talents and bringing them into the organisation to shoulder responsibilities.

As per the call of AIBEA, we organised the Mini Deposit Collectors and gave them membership in the organisation. Much prior to many other organisations, our organisation took efforts in consolidating the Jewel Appraisers under the mighty banner of AIBEA. Today, we can proudly say that we are the one and only Union, which gave basic membership to the Jewel Appraisers. Due to our efforts, the maximum commission amount was increased from Rs.100/- to Rs.400/- and now to Rs.500/- per loan. As a consequence, organising and running the State Level Jewel Appraisers Union is given to our Union. We are one among the pioneer Unions in organising the Business Correspondents and Temporary Employees to improve their wages and service conditions. 

We formed Union Bank Officers’ Association – Tamilnadu affiliated to AIBOA in the year 1985. Later it was revived in 2006 under the leadership of Com.D.S.Ganesan. He has contributed a lot to the officers’ fraternity through his legal interventions. Today, he is the General Secretary of AIUBOSA and the President of AIBOA Tamilnadu State Committee. He is also functioning as the Secretary of AIBOA.

In order to provide a compendium of service conditions of the Award Staff, efforts were made in the year 1998 and as result the book “Union Bank Employees’ Service Conditions” was brought out. Subsequently, improved versions were brought out whenever a new Bipartite is singed. So far, six improved versions were released by the Union and it has become the reference manual not only by the Union functionaries but also for the Management. This has resulted in reducing the floor level frictions. All concerned with the service conditions of the Award Staff are using this book throughout the country.

Our Union took efforts to form a Society to the benefit of the members and Union Bank of India Staff Co-operative Thrift & Credit Society was formed in the year 1985. Initially, it was confined to Chennai City. Later it was expanded to the entire State and Pondicherry. Today, it is a Multi-State Society catering to the needs of Tamilnadu, Pondicherry and Karnataka States and has the potential to cater to the needs of the entire country. It is efficiently managed by our comrades as directors. It is a model society to the rest. It is functioning with lesser spread, lesser profit and helping the comrades to get loans at cheaper rate of interest.

Own premises for the Union was purchased in the year 2000 at a cost of Rs.14,00,000/- and the present value of the premises is around Rs.50,00,000/-. In order to provide accommodation to the comrades coming to Chennai for various activities, a Guest House was purchased in the year 2015 and the total cost of the project came around Rs.1,00,00,000/-. Both were possible due to the generous contribution by the members and organisation remains indebted to them.

In the year 1985, Union formed a Staff Welfare Fund for the well being of the members, mainly to provide death relief and medical assistance. Today, it is collecting Rs.100/- as subscription and gives Rs.2,00,000/- to the family of the members, who unfortunately lost their lives during employment.

We are an organisation which identifies with the rest of the society and regularly involved in various social identification activities. In order to fund the activities, 5% of the subscriptions received from the members is earmarked for social identification activities.

                For the last 20 years, we have motivated the subordinate staff to become graduates by giving incentives to them. So that, they can be clerks from the date of their application and improve the standard of living of their family. So far, more than 200 comrades have become graduates and promoted to clerical cadre. Apart from this, Union is having several welfare measures for its members like, Marriage Gift, Retirement Memento, Scholarship to the wards of the members, Medical Assistance etc.,

                We are a pro-active organisation and understand that our lives are linked to the organisation we work for. When the organisation grows, we also grow and vice versa. Being in the public sector, we feel that we have a responsibility to protect public sector and to safeguard the savings of the society. Our pro-activeness has yielded positive results and helped in maintaining smooth industrial relations, which is good for both the sections.

                Union developed a Website with the internal resources and it is working well. All the information is updated in the Website on an on-going basis. “www.bankubeutn.in” gives lot of inputs to the members.

                We have a wonderful IT team and it is contributing to a great extent in bridging the communication gap between the organisation and its members. The Social Media handle like Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), You tube are being maintained and regular post being done.               

Last not the least, we thank all the leaders and faceless cadres, who toiled & sacrificed for this organisation, but for their contributions, we might not be what we are today.

Men may come and men may go. Organisation remains. It is like a relay race, where the mantle has to be transferred to the next generation to ensure the organisation remains young. We are sure that the young comrades will take this organisation to greater heights in the days to come.